


before the world was big

by trobedrights



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Gen, High School, Middle School, Pre-Canon, Trans Dee Reynolds, siblingism is real
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:08:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29894025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trobedrights/pseuds/trobedrights
Summary: Dee and Dennis do each other's makeup.
Relationships: Dee Reynolds & Dennis Reynolds
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	before the world was big

**Author's Note:**

> this is v short but i care them so much

Dee and Dennis steal their mother’s makeup for the first time when they’re eleven.

Dee stands on her tiptoes to look in the mirror, picking up the eye shadow brush and smushing it against her eyelid.

She frowns. “It’s not working.”

Dennis rolls his eyes and takes it from her. “Let me do it.”

She sits there, still, while he applies the makeup carefully. Finally, she says, “Dennis, do you ever feel like...maybe we’re not boys?”

He gives her a weird look. “Uh, no? What are you talking about?”

She shrugs and lets him continue. “Whatever. I kinda wanna go by Dee, though.”

“Okay.” He sets the brush down and turns her around to look in the mirror. “If you wanna be a girl or something, you should learn to do makeup yourself.”

She tries to think of a retort, but she’s kind of awestruck by looking at herself, so she settles for just punching him lightly in the arm.

Dee transitions two years later. She doesn't think anyone at school really notices, which is honestly the best outcome she could’ve hoped for. As for her family, Dennis doesn’t care, Mom doesn’t give a shit what she does as long as it doesn’t mess with her perfect child Dennis, and she’s pretty sure Dad just forgot and assumed he always had a girl.

So everything is okay.

One day before school, Dennis barges into her room and takes the makeup brush straight from her hands.

“Hey!” she protests.

“I’m getting tired of how bad your makeup is, Dee. I haven’t touched this thing since we were eleven, but I can still do so much better than you.” He turns her face towards him and begins to brush it onto her.

“You say you haven’t touched it, but you’re wearing makeup right now,” she observes.

“What?” he scoffs. “No I’m not.”

She reaches up to his cheek and drags her finger along it, concealer rubbing off on her hand. She holds it up to him. “Whatever you say, Dennis.”

He sighs. “Oh, just shut up and let me do yours.”

Dee doesn’t feel like getting into an argument right now, so she complies.

She asks Dennis to do her makeup before prom. He laughs in her face. “Please, Dee, who are you trying to look good for? No one _likes_ you.”

She crosses her arms. “Maybe I’m looking good for myself.”

“That’s not a real thing, Dee.”

He leaves with his cool friends (who she’s positive don’t even like him) and she’s stuck to do it by herself.

Later, past midnight, Dennis comes home in a state of rage.

“Geez, what’s up with _you_?”

“Tim Murphy slept with my date, that _asshole_ , I can’t believe I ever trusted him, I swear to God-”

Dee squints. “Were you crying?”

“What? No, why would I be-”

“Your mascara is running.”

“Yeah, that just happens sometimes. My eyes are naturally moist.”

“Okay, that is not a thing, but it’s not like I want to talk about it, so good night.”

She turns to go to her room.

“Wait,” Dennis calls. “Is it really running?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you help me get it off?”

She looks at him, and normally she would say “no, asshole, do it yourself”, but he looks pathetic as fuck.

“Fine. But you better not start crying in front of me.”

They fall asleep next to each other in the bathroom.

**Author's Note:**

> also it was hard to word well in writing but i Cannot stop thinking about dee transitioning young and frank just having no fucking clue like he's just like oh i guess one of them was a girl and i forgot! like that's so funny to me. altho if u think about it too hard it's actually very sad Absent Parenting ok shut up


End file.
